Jerand

Summer escape whilst a brewing storm.

Our vacation trip to the beach wasn’t the ideal time of the year. We prayed to stop the torrential rains and to veer away the hustling winds.

Luckily, the storm ceased before our flight and during the entire vacation.

It was my first time on this island and all i can say is that I had a total disconnect from my daily grind.

We spent 3 days and 3 nights and that went with a breeze. Indeed, time flies when you’re having fun. We thought what we’d do with these days. Turns out that these three days would just go in a blink of an eye.

We initially booked the trip a year in advance on a really low price. Taking advantage of the seat sale from an airline.

Flight took almost an hour and the travel by land from Kalibo airport took almost 2 hours. We had a glass of mojito while listening to a reggae band to cap off the first night.

I don’t know if it was me or just the island atmosphere that i really enjoy sipping cup of coffee every morning.

Coffee is a morning necessity for me; may it be for hangover or just a quick buzz fix. Starbucks’ suits well with the island ambiance and Real Coffee’s is the definitely a must try.

What’s best about this place is very accessible to anything you may need and want. You may eat anything you want from a variety of restaurants located conveniently across the island.

We joined an island hopping activity that toured us to the nearby islands like Crystal Cove, Magic Island and Puka Beach. The tour includes a lunch buffet. Don’t expect much on their buffet. It wasnt as fancy as you think. It was enough to survive the island tour.

We enjoyed Puka beach as part of this tour. I would suggest to take a dip immediately when you visit this place. Our only mistake was to wait for our other companion while they roam the island before we decided to swim. We regretted it, we started to enjoy the calm fine water of puka beach when our guide call us off.

Crystal cove is also a part of island hopping itinerary. Though, we spent most of time on boat while boatmen traverse through shallow waters. We were in wonder when we visited caves of this island. The caves are not that complex, just enough for a short adventure before another fine swim.

We booked the next day package of island activities while walking by the shore. We got a nice deal with 4 activities (Parasailing, ATV, Helmet Diving and Paraw Sailing). You could easily find a kuya or an ate offering these packages; bargain for the best price ,if you’re getting more than one. Try it all and get it at a very low price.

Parasailing was terrifying and exciting for me. I’m afraid of heights ,but the view when you’re up there is astonishing. We were in awe by the beauty of nature from above.

ATV ignited our wanderlust. The terrain is mountainous. We twisted the throttle on an uphill trail and pinned on hand breaks on a downward path. It lasted a total of one hour inclusive of a 15-min stopover in a breath-taking paradise. The beach was so private and can be accessed by an ATV ride downhill. I guess, locals have their own way of accessing this but the ATV is still the best way down.

We didn’t stop there. After a tiresome ride, we dove into the deep using a helmet. This unlikely tool took us into a different world under the sea. I had a short panic when the helmet was placed on my head. There was some bothersome noise coming out of the helmet tube where air is coming from. I plunged into the water and miracuolosly breathed just fine. Should i say, my head is under water but im breathing fine. There were couple of scuba divers that guide us underwater for sightseeing.

Paraw sailing is the best way to watch the famous Boracay Sunset. Unfortunately, the sun set behind the clouds that day. Needless to say that sailing through Paraw is one of kind. I even felt the need to shout, “ I am Moana!”.

We were mildly drunk by a tall pitcher of mixed rhum and vodka that night while listening to a local band. The drink immediately knocked us off.

The last morning was when we enjoyed the white beach. We even tried the Stand up Paddle for thirty minutes. It was difficult at first ,but you’ll eventually find yourself conquering the waves.

We never thought that we would want to stay even longer but we could not. We never had the chance to visit the grotto and the spiderhouse.

Mad Mark’s Creamery and Good Eats. BGC Mall

Raging Cajun Wings. Half dozen of barbeque flavored wings with a hint of heat. These wings don’t need dip for you to ask for more.4⭐️

Fat Chips. Literally, not your conventional thinly-sliced potato chips. These potatoes were double dipped in a special spiced batter. It has the crispiness and flavor of a fried chicken. Fried chicken batter could be their special recipe. 4⭐️

Liquid cheesecake in a pie crust with strawberry compote and a scoop of roasted pecan ice cream. These pieces altogether taste heaven! An extraordinary delectable invention. The cheesecake in a pie crust isnt too sweet nor tastes sour, like other cheesecakes. The strawberry compote is exactly what you needed with the cheesecake. Their homemade roasted pecan ice cream is delicious! The flavors from each of these snacks come together in your mouth in harmony. My palate was like singing melodious harmony in an orchestra. 5⭐️

I havent had the chance ,but will definitely try on my next visit their signature steak and double black ribs, which are also their specialty. Plus, their prices are affordable.